How to start a fish aquarium

SAFETY FIRST: Ask an adult to help with tools you haven't used before.

Having an aquarium is cool — and easy! Here’s how to start yours.

WHAT TO DO

Pick starters. Starter fish are more able to adapt to a new tank. Zebra Danios, White Clouds, and Platys are great starters.

Pick fish that get along with each other. For example, don’t stick two male betas together; they will fight. Also, think twice if you want to add cichlids — they’re territorial. Labyrinth fish such as Gourami are calm.

Remove chlorine from the water. Buy water-cleaning drops at the pet store.

Regularly check the water temperature with an aquarium thermometer.

Do partial water changes to keep the water clean and your fish healthy. Don’t change all the water at once. Your fish might have trouble adapting in there is too much change.

Use the right equipment for cleaning — bucket, net, filter and siphon.

WHAT NOT TO DO

Don’t overfeed.

Don’t put things in the tank unless you are sure they are safe. Some woods and rocks can be bad for your fish. Never use meal. Shells aren’t safe for most tanks, either.

Don’t put your tank in a window or next to an air conditioner or heater.

Don’t buy fish from dirty tanks or ones that have sick or dead fish in them.

Don’t buy only one of a “schooling fish.” These like to be in groups. Neon Tetras, Zebra Danios and Tiger Barbs are schooling fish.

Don’t make stops when bringing your fish home. Get it home and into its new environment as quickly as possible.

Don’t put fish in the tank right away. Float the bag in the tank for about 10 minutes so the temperature matches better.

Don’t add too many fish at one time.

Don’t buy fish before you set up your tank.

WHAT TO ASK AT THE STORE

How big will the fish grow?

How many fish can you keep in your aquarium? (This depends on the size and kind of fish you buy, and the size of your tank.)

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do not put two male beatas in the same tank or one of them will kill the other beata. if you have a girl beata fish do not put her in the same tank or if you want baby beatafish then be redey to take her out ok :>)

i am a grandmother to three great boys ages 11 and 5. i am thinking about getting them a fish tank. they have pet dogs however i would like to give them this gift. what type of fish should i give them and how big should the first tank be ?

Many fish require air circulation to be healthy. Pet stores sell a filter and air circulation combination from a company called Small World. It has suction cups and sticks to the side of your aquarium. It helps to remove waste toxins from the water and adds bubbles to circulate air in the water. Our Betta Splendid lived for six years in a five gallon tank with one of these circulating filters. Bettas are generally expected to live 3-5 years in captivity.

to Sentraex, regarding the question you asked on March 19th, 2008 at 2:06 pm , “what does PH mean?” it means, “potential of hydrogen.Wich is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, numerically equal to 7 for neutral solutions, increasing with increasing alkalinity and decreasing with increasing acidity. The pH scale commonly in use ranges from 0 to 14.

Hi iIm in fifth grade! I am almost a profesinal fish breeder! I have six (6) tanks running.I have Mollies,guppys,swordtails,platies,an oscar that I feed western and eastern mosquito fish,two(2)gourimus,a giant apple snail and wild caught mollies.Need tips about breeding livebeares or any other type of fish?Just type it!!! I am ten(10) and I have three(3) years of breeding expierence.

these are nice tips i have three tanks a 55 gallon a 10 gallon and a 5 gallon and im sure i will have more but you did not put anything in about an aquarium heater the type of starter fish you named require tempertures not atainable with out one also a quick paragraph about the land scape would be nice like that fish need shelter like pots plants castles and a filter system is need to keep the water clean oh well